In Which
by aurora0914
Summary: Even after the war, there is no happily ever after. Only broken people.
1. Forever After

**Lets just say that I've been meaning to write one of these in a looong, loooong time. A SasuHina post war fic. Trust me. Long time. Sadly, no ItaHina since Itachi is dead. Live in peace, yo. **

_Forever After_

"_In which there is no happily ever after."_

Ruin. That was all he could see, for miles and miles around. Ruin, with bloody corpses placed strategically all over it; ruin, reeking of death and misery and sweat. The bodies, if one took a closer look, had a very symbolic icon on the back of their clothes: the worldwide, famous, Uchiha fan. That is, if one could make it out. With the clothes being so tattered (shredded, more like), very few could.

A man's haunting laugh echoed in the background _(Madara_)_._ A blood red moon shone; and he could see the shapes and patters of _his _eye _(Itachi). _A terrified shriek sounded, with the sound of a stopping clock accompanying it.

He could see a young version of himself. He stared as his younger version held his hands against his head, shaking it in a flurry, large sobs racking through his frail and pathetic body. Suddenly, that version of himself disappeared, replaced with the dead bodies of his parents. Next to him, what had once been his best friend stared at him with maddening scarlet red eyes, a sadistic glint that reflected his joy. The joy that his best friend derived from his terror.

Sasuke awoke, a scream dying in his parched throat. Instead, his hands trembled uncontrollably, sweat soaking the shirt that he wore. He hated his state of weakness; he hated what he became after the nightmares visited him. He brought his hand to his mouth, biting hard on his thumb. He managed to draw blood, a bit trickling down his arm, leaving behind a disgustingly warm and sticky trail. The pain calmed him down, sharpened his already overloaded senses.

This time, he was lucky. He only had to bite. Sometimes it was worse; sometimes, he couldn't withhold the urge to slash at his skin with a knife, or a sword. Pain was pain, and it calmed him down all the same. Although it _did _vary on how potent that pain _was._

Putting his other hand on the floor, he warily hoisted himself up, heading towards the sink (located in the kitchen). He washed the blood away, refraining from looking at the sight of it. For some reason or another, the sight of his own blood made him _nauseous_.Which was so very strange, because the blood from strangers excited him, giving him the urge to kill. Yes, it was so very strange...

He was used to the blood of strangers. It stained his hands, sometimes multiple times a week. It all depended on the missions that Naruto assigned to him. They were mostly assassinations, but sometimes they varied.

It was a laughable concept that to keep that façade of peace that surrounded Konoha, so may strings had to be pulled. Whether they may include assassinations, kidnappings, or plain surveillance missions... _so many _lies have to be told.

It was no wonder that Sasuke was hanging onto his sanity by only a thread.

Sasuke was a very high ranking ANBU (in Konoha), one that was given numerous S class missions. It _was _a challenge for Naruto to convince others that Sasuke was capable of doing them (and not running away, or killing his team mates for kicks), but Naruto was Naruto, and he possessed a persuasive power that Sasuke often thought as bothersome. Especially when Naruto managed to persuade even _himself, _too (like when he said that Sasuke had suffered enough and there was no need for punishment when he came back).

Naruto had even managed to persuade him to go back to Konoha. An acknowledgeable feat, Sasuke had to admit. Then again, Naruto was the only one who had managed to preserve their bond, even with all the crimes that Sasuke had committed. He was the only one... that could every possibly understand. Not that he ever _did _understand. No, even Naruto could never understand... the pains... the _curse _of being an Uchiha.

Well, there was a saying that his late brother always mused upon: speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Maybe there was some truth in his words, because at that moment, a messenger hawk appeared, summoning him to the Hokage (also known as the idiot Naruto). Sasuke cracked his neck, a slightly manic look in his eyes flashing briefly. In a flash, invisible to the human eye, he had arrived in the Hokage's office, his uniform in place.

A panther mask hid his features, although personally, Sasuke found the thing useless and stupid. Any ninja of reasonable intellect would be able to _tell _it was him by his hairstyle; there was absolutely no need to hide his face. However, there really was no point in complaining about it, as Naruto would only see it as a weakness and change his mask to something more ridiculous... and if Sasuke knew Naruto as well as he thought he did, he wouldn't put it beyond Naruto for him to order Sasuke to wear a cockroach mask.

Those thoughts were quickly forgotten when a wave of blood-lust crashed into him. He barely suppressed it, keeping his face stoic even though his fingers twitched to kill. Sasuke had made sure that Naruto didn't know of his mood swings or urges... or who knows when he would have gotten a mission. "Sasuke!" A wide grin covered Naruto's features.

The grin didn't fool Sasuke... not one bit. His eyes could see exhaustion behind Naruto's countenance... the suspicion that lurked in every movement that Naruto made. Normally, Sasuke would have had an irrational annoyance towards Naruto's actions, but he had seen Naruto react like that towards everyone. Ever since the war, Sasuke suspected Naruto had trust issues, that were maybe a half of what his were. And that was a large, generally unhealthy amount.

Sasuke dipped his head slightly, acknowledging Naruto. The already painful smile on Naruto's face widened. "You have a mission! Nothing like a good old mission, right? Ah! It's so tough being a Hokage!" His voice echoed throughout the otherwise silent office, refusing to admit defeat. Obviously, Naruto was stalling, waiting for something. But what?

The foreign (but somehow familiar) chakra that entered his radar answered his silent question. The soft knock on the door confirmed it. "Come in!" Naruto called, in his loud booming voice. Sasuke felt a presence beside him, and he didn't bother to see who it was, only recognizing it as... female. He would bloody murder Naruto, and snap his twig like neck. Naruto _knew _how much he _hated _working with females.

"Take off your masks!" a vicious, maddening burning arose in Sasuke's chest. He recognized it as a fit of anger. Hoping that Naruto wouldn't notice (but calculating that he would and he probably wouldn't really care), he dug his fingernails into his palms, a masochistic satisfaction arising as he drew blood. His other hand, now steady, moved to remove his mask. His eyes automatically activating Sharingan, he took in the other person's appearance. That's when it hit him.

Hyuuga Hinata. A person he vaguely remembered from his childhood, a girl that had always skirted around Naruto. She had been shy. Timid. Ordinary. Not attracting attention, but he remembered her better than most, probably because she was the only girl in his class that actually _didn't _pine over him. Instead, she chased Naruto.

Sasuke shook those thoughts out of his head, instead, getting a good look at her now. Unhealthily pale skin, much like his, and dark, black hair (the healthy indigo lustre he recalled was gone) also resembling his. Her hair reached her waist, and was tied in a high pony tail, most likely to be kept out of the way for the mission. Her eyes, however... were a creamy white (almost light lavender), much more austere than what they were before.

Suddenly, her image was replaced with the image of his dead mother, who eyed him with glassy, scarlet coated coal eyes. Her hand was reaching out to him, almost in an attempt to choke him. His voice box deflated in horror, unable to look away from her fragile looking hand. "-secret. Here are the files." Naruto's voice interrupted the hallucination that Naruto knew that he had just experienced.

Sasuke snapped back into reality as a wisp of air whirled towards him. He caught the object with one hand, absent-mindedly reading over the information written there. Infiltrating... espionage... couple... what? "Well then, as my best ANBU, work well? I'm off to get my ramen!" Naruto disappeared in a yellow flash, leaving Sasuke seething with rage.

He knew that Naruto wouldn't leave his office alone if the people in it weren't ones he trusted... but screw that, how come Naruto was making him go on such a mission? He hated having partners, and Naruto knew that. His demeanour became icy as his eyes sought out the Hyuuga. She stayed silent. "Well?" Sasuke's voice was controlled, hiding the vicious anger that he was experiencing.

"The mission is tomorrow." Hyuuga's voice startled him. It was cool... and detached; like she wasn't really there. It-by far- bypassed his obscure memories. As if it was Itachi's... Sasuke focused on the conversation taking place before his mind could wander off again.

"Sunrise. Konoha gates." And he disappeared, reluctant to hear her voice again. His feet took him through the winding paths of Konoha, heading towards _the _lake. People stopped and stared, whispered behind his back, pointed at him, as if he was some animal on an exhibit. They had a reason to, Sasuke supposed. He was a war hero (and criminal) that could rarely ever be seen. It was a rarity to come out in sunlight; he was too busy either sleeping or going to another one of the myriad of missions.

Peace. Sasuke could have wholeheartedly laughed. It was peace that his brother had given his life for. It was peace that Naruto risked his life for. But honestly, what was peace?

Even after they had destroyed Madara, peace was a goal to strive for. Even after Madara (there being no war), there were still deaths. What was peace? Theoretically, it was a harmony that prevented from mindless slaughter. But in reality? It was a state of mind. There would never, ever, be true peace. His brother, and all these people before him wasted their lives, chasing after a non-existing term, an impossibility.

And now, in what position was he in? His mind, and soul, had been shredded to microscopic bits. He was the only one of his kind left, everyone else being already murdered or killed. Even if Madara was a villain, a tyrant; it still had given him _some _comfort to know he wasn't the only one left (he only noticed it when it disappeared). It was only then, after Madara died, that he had discovered solitude at its core.

Sasuke was sure that Naruto thought (or hoped) for some 'happily ever after' that would come after the war was won. And Sasuke was also sure that Naruto was sorely disappointed. There was no 'happily ever after'... only the continuation of life. The ongoing battle of life that could only end in death.

Thinking kept his mind off his past... so when he reached the conclusion, it was not surprising that his fingers started shaking, as his mind relapsed into a time that had happened way before now: the time that he had been weak and vulnerable. His fumbling hand reached for the kunai in his pouch, grasping it firmly and guiding it towards its new destination: the tender flesh of his wrists. That was when he did what the enemy (most of it...) could not: he wounded himself, letting the liquid run its course down his arm, and drip into the crystalline lake below (having sat down on its docks at the start of his inward rant). The carmine red mixed in with the celeste blue, creating a rose pink.

It was then he noticed the fading rays of the sun set, and decided it was time to go home. He'd have to wake up early tomorrow, depending on whether he actually managed to _go _to sleep. The walk home was short, what with the lake being on the edges of the Uchiha property.

He lived in the main house of the Uchiha Compound, his childhood home that had been rebuilt. Thankfully. He would have never have stepped foot in that place otherwise (the place where his parent's blood had been spilt). Naruto thought that it would have been the first step to 'rebuilding his clan'. Ha! What a joke _that_ goal had become.

When he had been younger, the thought of needing an actual _female _to do that had escaped him. That an actual female would partake in the reconstruction of his clan. That he would need to _trust _that female. Besides, that was _before _he found out the truth of his clan. No, he was positive that the Uchiha clan would die out with him, and spare the future generation the misery.

He tiredly trudged towards the kitchen, taking out a couple of vegetables to eat. After he had eaten, he attempted to succumb to his dreams.

The whole team lay dead beside him. Massacred bodies and mutilated heads. It was a river of red, that ran through his feet. Something caught on his foot, and Sasuke looked down to see it. It was an eyeball, adorned with the Sharingan. When it blinked, Sasuke stumbled, falling head first in the river, choking on the slimy red liquid...

Sasuke awoke, and stayed in bed for a couple of minutes before his heartbeat had gone back to its usual pace. After doing his daily rituals, he observed that it was near sunrise. It was time to leave. Donned in his ANBU uniform, he disappeared in a flash of light, quickly reappearing beside the desired destination.

There was no one there. She was late, he thought bitterly. He leaned against the gates, ignoring the muttering guards (who had obviously recognized him by his inconspicuous hair style), and waited for her. Luckily, he didn't have to wait long. Two minutes later, she had arrived, like a silent shadow.

"Late." Sasuke muttered to her, his voice somewhat accusing, but otherwise blank. The only response that he received was a slight inclination of her head, the ANBU mask staying in place. Not one to talk, Sasuke immediately left the sight, turning his head to see if she would follow.

She did, keeping up the pace, although Sasuke knew that if he went at his fastest, she wouldn't be able to do so. Together they travelled in silence, with Sasuke aiming to stop somewhere on the outskirts of Konoha and have a brief about the mission. Something that he didn't usually do, but he would have to since he had a partner. Stupid Naruto.

This mission, exactly, was an infiltrating mission. They would disguise themselves in as a couple (Sasuke's eyebrow twitched, cursing Naruto for all it was worth) and penetrate Ame's politics. After the war, Ame had been quite the problem.

The Akatsuki had one of their main bases in Ame. It was not only a base, he corrected himself, but also a political and financial support (they supported each other mutually). When Akatsuki inevitably lost the war, Ame was in a state of crisis. It got involved in a civil war, and others of countless stupidities.

It took them around four days of travelling at ANBU speed (towards the north east) to reach the borders of Ame. In which, during that time, they didn't converse at all, preferring to communicate with vague body signals. It worked well, to be fair, since they were both eye jutsu users of the best calibre.

They rarely stopped to eat, and they alternated night shifts (they had separate tents). Sasuke couldn't really sleep, but kept up a pretence, unwilling to share his weakness. Overall, it was like travelling alone. It, to his surprise, was better than travelling alone, since the hallucinations seldom visited him when he was with Hinata. A revelation he revered in, and enjoyed to the fullest.

Once they reached the border, it was a necessary evil to put on their 'disguises'. And it was the first time that Sasuke had the pleasure of 'talking'. "Stop." He commanded, enjoying the obedience that Hinata displayed. It was an unspoken agreement that he would be the team leader, as it was common knowledge that he was stronger, and at a higher position than she was. "Take of your mask."

Her hand hesitantly reached to take off her porcelain mask. She quickly slipped it in one of her pockets, looking at Sasuke for further instructions (Sasuke had also taken off his panther mask). Not one to explain, he said, "Check perimeter. If all clear, equip disguises, and we shall proceed." Right now, they were safe, as it was not so uncommon to see ANBU on the borders. If they stepped further, however, they would be persecuted by enemy ANBU.

Hinata nodded, and activated her Byakugan. Sasuke observed as the veins and arteries bulged, creating a grotesquely beautiful sight. Her eyes quickly scanned the forest, before going back to their normal state. She gave him another inclination of her head, informing him that the area was free of any threats.

He then performed a genjutsu on himself, following the orders that Naruto had given them: he transformed into a brown haired guy with tea green eyes (they would be impersonating a couple from the Country of Tea). Hinata had also made herself have dirty blond hair in ringlets and a shade darker green eyes. They looked ordinary, nothing above average; nothing as eye catching as their regular appearance.

Making eye contact, both of them became a blur in the thick green foliage. The sky was a cloudy, grey colour, and it was raining. The rain put Sasuke on edge, as he remembered Pein's technique of monitoring the movement of people (monitoring the rain). He shook off the irrational fear, in favour of continuing the run.

Hinata now had her Byakugan on. She would have it on at least until they reach Ame, where she would be allowed to rest her Byakugan (it would be unnecessary... even if someone came, they'd have their disguised on).

It took around another day to get through the dense forest, onto the outskirts of Ame. They both consented to rest for the evening, as it would be less suspicious to go into Ame in the early morning rather than late at night.

Nightmares plagued Sasuke that night. In his dreams, every Uchiha visited him... dead... at least twice. It got so bad, to the point that he felt Hinata shaking him to wake up from his 'peaceful' slumber. Fortunately, she did not say anything about his weakness later; even though Sasuke was still uneasy in thinking that she would use that weakness against him.

They made their way towards the gates. It was frightfully easy for them to get in: just one look at Sasuke's Sharingan, and the guards were hypnotized beyond belief.

But the moment that they entered Ame, Sasuke wished it _had _been harder to get into it. Maybe then they could be delayed from _seeing _it.

It was destruction. Sasuke had come here a couple of times for assassination missions, sure, but those always took place in the night time, when you couldn't really see the city. Sasuke was grateful that it had been night time.

The buildings were semi- standing, with ruin and rubble all over the place. Even now, he could see a couple of fires smoking in the distance. Mutilated bodies littered the streets, and you could see dried blood caked in the mud. A couple of children were crying, screaming. Fights were happening before his eyes, fights that annihilated the buildings nearest them. And... Naruo expected to infiltrate the politics of _this_? Were there any politics, to begin with?

But looking at the sight, Sasuke couldn't help but be bitter. Was _this _what the war for peace brought? Why did everyone think that when it ended, it would all be butterflies and rainbows again? It wasn't. There was no happily ever after. There were only, like usual, problems. And this time, the problem to deal with was Ame.

He heard Hinata beside him swallow, and that was when he silently signalled her that it was time for them to be on their way.

**This work has been unedited. I would have asked Amber to Beta it form me, but I feel like Im overloading her with work as is. Anyone volunteer to Beta? Im looking for one. So... tell me what you guys think. I won't update as often, since I also have other fics to do, but it will probably be this fic that has my focus after the Hyuuga Massacre is complete.**

**Thank you for reading, Review Review, Review, **

**Aurora-chan.**


	2. Heartbreak

**This chapter is Hinata pov. I have no idea where Im going with this. **

_Heartbreak_

"_In which a woman loving a man doesn't mean the opposite is plausible."_

Hinata stared at the toxic crystal liquid swirling in her cup. A half-empty bottle accompanied the cup, situated next to it. How could something... so disgusting, be so addicting? She only vaguely managed to wonder before she drowned out the glass in one fell swoop. The cool vodka slid down her throat, burning it in the process. How could something so cold... be so warm? It seemed like the world was full of contradictions.

She absent-mindedly poured herself another glass, unmindful of the amount. Coherent thoughts could no longer be formed as she decided to screw the glass and drink straight from the bottle. Black dots started to form around the edges of her vision as she surrendered to the numbing poison - alcohol.

Obviously, she had the ability to heal herself, and stop the affects that ethanol had on her. The catch was, she didn't _want _to. She wanted to forget, even if it was only for a little while. Drinking seemed like the best option. For her mind, certainly, but her body seemed to disagree. But for now, she'd resign herself to this blissful oblivion.

It was only to be expected, she supposed, that she woke up in a stranger's bed nude. Her head pounded from the inevitable hangover, and her lower body parts felt quite sore- and disgustingly slimy. She glanced at the body next to her, only managing to make out scruffy brown hair, as he (she thought it was a he... at the very least) had himself covered in a warm cocoon. It didn't matter, at any rate. What mattered was that she needed to get home and take a shower.

With that resolve in mind, she picked up her clothes that seemed to be scattered around the moderately sized room. The repellent feeling refused to go away, same with the migraine. Even though her mind was urging her to hurry, her body was still moving at a sluggish rate.

After donning the clothes that smelled of liquor, puke and sweat, she was on her way like the shadow she was. The male's home was in an unfamiliar part of Konoha, but she managed to get to her apartment just fine (as round about every place in Konoha had a view of the Hokage tower).

The moment she arrived home, she ripped the foul clothes off of her body, immediately heading for the shower. Inertly, she turned on the water and cranked up the pressure at its highest point, relishing the feeling of the water pounding against her back. The warmth somewhat cleared up her foggy mind, allowing her to think clearly.

It was then that she groaned. Waking up in a bed next to a stranger was not unusual for her- it was, in fact, how she lost her virginity- but it was something that she hated. She had intended to save her virginity, her purity, for someone special- a fierce, and slightly manic laugh escaped her lips as she sunk to the floor of the shower, hugging herself.

Someone special? Who? Naruto? The hysteric laugh continued with new enthusiasm. When would he even _look _at her that way? She clearly remembered confessing to him, only wanting to make her feelings known. True, she hadn't wanted a reply, but it _would _have been nice if he had said something instead of confessing to Sakura the minute the war ended. Actually, at this point in time, they were engaged.

And then there was Neji. The laughter ceased, and a wave of tears rolled down her cheeks. He who sacrificed himself for her. He who wrote in his will of the depth of his love for her. He who had been loyal to her no matter the circumstance. And suddenly, she was reminded of _why_ she drank, and of _why _she ended up waking next to an unknown man in the mornings.

Besides, it wasn't like anyone noticed or cared. Her father died during the war, and Hanabi was too busy with her job as the clan head. Kiba and Shino were too hung up with each other... it felt like everyone moved on with their lives, except for her. She was still the only one that had nightmares of the war; that couldn't get Neji's bloodied face out of her head.

She was the only one that couldn't escape the endless labyrinths of death and blood and sweat. And enemies. Oh, how could she forget the enemies that often plagued her at night? The swirling black tomoes of the Sharingan, enclosed by the drifting red clouds? And what of the large, inhumane ten-tailed creature that was nearly insurmountable?

Hinata stared at her hands, pale and lifeless against the torrent of water. Hands that were stuck in time. Hands that had taken countless of lives away, throwing them into the bleak waters of death. Hands that... were hers, and shaking. She shook her head, unsteadily standing up, turning off the water. For a moment she basked in the warm steam, before stepping out and letting the cool air greet her.

Wrapping a towel around herself, she headed towards her room, intent on changing into her ANBU uniform. It was time to take a mission, and _do _something, before she went crazy. At least, crazier than she already was.

As luck would have it, the Hokage had sent a hawk messenger for her a mere twenty minutes later. Hinata couldn't help but feel relieved... but as always, there was that knotted part of her stomach that dreaded meeting him. The man of her dreams, that was marrying another woman. Maybe she should consider herself lucky that he even remembered her name.

Sighing, she locked the apartment and took off for the Hokage tower. She was not overly hurried; the two sides that were at war inside of her, as always, slowed her down. So when she arrived, she shouldn't have been surprised that she was late. Softly, she knocked on the hard wood surface opposite her. When a cheerful voice beckoned her, she opened the door, struggling to maintain her nonchalant demeanour.

As usual, Naruto was seated behind his dark-wood, mahogany desk, a smile masking his face. There was another figure accompanying Naruto, however, one that Hinata had trouble recognizing; dark hair framed a panther mask, the body obviously male. What was he doing here?

Her eyes flickered towards Naruto's, slightly softening seeing his jubilant features. Then she scolded herself upon her reaction; this man would become another woman's man... she had no right to think of him the way she did. No right. "Take off your masks!" Naruto beamed, his sparkling blue eyes piercing through her soul, making her itch for the obscurity that was associated to alcohol.

Hesitantly, she reached for her own mask, taking it off as if it burned. She then turned her eyes towards the questionable male in the room (who was not Naruto). Her eyes widened slightly, taking in the form that was Uchiha Sasuke.

After the war, not many had been graced with his intimidatingly dark presence. He usually skirted around the edges of civilization, which was understandable what with the past afflictions and all. Her eyes flickered lower, out of habit, and was surprised to find a couple of crimson drops splattered on the floor. Her gaze trailed upwards, surprisingly finding the source to be Uchiha's hands. She thought nothing more of it.

"Your mission is to infiltrate Ame's politics, and to organize the land so it once again becomes a country with a working economy. After the war, Ame took the worst hit, and it is my duty as a Hokage to help them recover. Reports must come biweekly. You are to be disguised as a couple, and your identities are to be kept a secret. Here are the files." Naruto's serious tone dwindled away by the end of the sentence, a bright grin reappearing on his face. "Well then, as my best ANBU, work well? I'm off to get my ramen!" That was when Naruto disappeared, leaving behind Sasuke and herself in the room.

Few words were exchanged between them, before Sasuke harshly informed her of their meeting time tomorrow, before leaving and not giving her the chance to agree or disagree. Shrugging, she locked up the office and was the only one to leave through the door, nodding at the guards stationed there.

Hinata decided to get some rest, knowing that she'd have to be in her top condition on this mission with Uchiha Sasuke. She did not want to be a burden, she thought bitterly. She always was a burden: to her father, to Naruto, to _Neji. _If it weren't for her, he'd still be alive, and she'd still be able to gaze into his reassuring eyes. If it weren't for _her_... her mind was already parched, and she knew that there was only one type of liquid with the ability to quench it. However, it would not do to have a pounding headache tomorrow.

And so, upon her arrival home she collapsed on the bed, her eyes facing the ceiling. She brought her hand up, eyeing her shaky fingers, pale even against the white washed walls. So easily stained... with the consuming red of blood. Shaking her head lightly, she let her hand drop, instead clenching her eyes closed hoping that a dreamless sleep would engulf her. Of course, she was not so lucky.

Waking up before sunrise, she packed, and dragged herself along to Sasuke's meeting place. She was on time, but Sasuke accused her of lacking punctuality, something that she did not bother herself to reply to. Without further ado they left, travelling in a tense silence.

It took four days and a half to reach Ame. They were spent travelling in the same silence, with an occasional order from Sasuke. Hinata was happily distracted from alcohol, oddly enough. There was something about this mission that just seemed more important... she shrugged the thought off.

However, when they _did _reach Ame, ethanol haunted her with a vengeance. Ame was a wreck; the worst she'd seen since the war. She couldn't even find the words to describe it, so she looked away, choosing to look at Sasuke. Sasuke himself seemed tense, his eyes scanning the horizon. Afterwards, he forced his body to relax, signalling Hinata that it was time to move.

She activated her Byakugan, knowing that the genjutsu would mask the bulging veins to outsiders; scanning for a hotel that would take in two 'civilians'. She came up with a surprising find: while most of Ame was demolished, the far north-eastern part still stood standing, better off than the rest. It would have to do. Hinata started skittishly walking in that direction, playing the part of a frightened civilian suspiciously well.

They avoided the jeering people of the ruined village, instead preferring to walk through the abandoned darkened alleys. She inconspicuously glanced at Sasuke; finding his brown hair and green eyes unnatural and distracting.

They arrived at a hotel that seemed decent; as decent as could be at a ruined place like this, at any rate. The receptionist was a bald, grubby man; he gave over the keys to a single room with reluctance and distrust. Hinata deemed him as no threat, and they moved towards their room, which was located on the first floor, in the far right hand side.

Opening the door, Hinata took in the sight of their room: battered mattress, dirty windows and curtains, small cramped space. All in all, it would be the perfect room if she were drunk. But she wasn't, and couldn't be, therefore her nose wrinkled in distinct distaste. They rid themselves of the genjutsu, putting the appropriate barriers around the room. Hinata could now relax, seeing the outline of Sasuke's obsidian hair.

She wasn't one that liked to talk- by any means, no- but this was something that they both had to decide. "What will the sleeping a-arrangements be, Uchiha-san?" Hinata muttered, cursing the tremor that her voice carried. It was the reason that she preferred staying mute; not wanting the others hearing her weakness. The one that her father had always mercilessly mocked.

He was startled, surprised by her voice. "On the bed, Hyuuga." he droned, as if it was obvious. Hinata shrugged, and followed his wishes without complaint. Once upon a time, she might have been scandalised at the thought of getting into bed with a strange man- now, she was only glad that she at least knew his name and was coherent. Oh, how the mighty fall.

Sasuke raised an astonished eyebrow; he thought that the Hyuuga would surely contradict him. Mentally shrugging, he nonchalantly stripped of his top, crashing onto the bed. Hinata changed into her nightgown in the sorry excuse of a bathroom, not wanting to take after Sasuke. While she might not be sheltered, she didn't want anyone actually seeing her body- especially when she was sober.

Stepping out of the bathroom, she went to the bed, crashing right next to Sasuke. She pretended that she didn't see the way he eyed her nightgown, or her, in general. After all, it was normal for a man to do so. Or so she told herself as a slight blush overcame her cheeks.

And so they slept.

In the morning, Hinata awoke feeling something heavy drape over her- and discovered that said thing was actually Sasuke's arm. She eyed it irritably, shrugging it off. Sasuke was still in dreamland- the lucky bastard. While her sleep had been dreamless for a change, she was never able to sleep for more than seven hours- paranoia always prevailing in the end.

Besides, they had a mission to do. Ame was eagerly (not at all) awaiting them.

She got dressed in an (hopefully) inconspicuous outfit, one that would fit into the background. After visiting the bathroom, she walked back into the closet of a bedroom, intent on checking Sasuke. She needn't have bothered. He still lay on the tiny, disfigured bed, and might have been snoring... if he wasn't Sasuke. Sighing, she went over to him, distastefully knowing that she would have to wake him up.

Fortunately, it wasn't so. Before she could even reach him, his eyes snapped open, letting out a killing intent that would have previously sent shivers down her spine. He relaxed when he realised that it was just her, but for all intents and purposes, Hinata remained on edge.

"We need a plan." Sasuke muttered, his onyx eyes flickering red. Hinata remained quiet, silently agreeing with him. "Ideas?" His hands deftly moved through a couple of signs, making a sound barrier around the room. It was safe to talk.

With a slight shake of her head, she gestured an abrupt 'no'. While she had been on intelligence missions before, it was never quite like this. Here, they had an objective of politics, for a place that held none. But... then again, as Hinata pondered upon it, she realised something. If it only had been complete and utter chaos, than Ame should have ceased to exist long ago. And yet, it hadn't. That mean...

It seemed that Sasuke was thinking along the same lines as her. "There must be someone in charge of this. A leader. And our objective, before anything, is to find out who he is." tilting her head, Hinata mutely asked a question. Sasuke, being adept in body language, manage to respond to her query.

"Bars. We start at bars. Meanwhile, during the daytime, we'll disguise ourselves among the townspeople. Meet here at six." A laugh threatened to burst out of Hinata's mouth. A bar? Of all things, they would lead their investigations at... bars? The world really was laughing at her. She was _more _than familiar with the world of bars (and alcohol, mostly). How would she be able to keep herself in check, especially when there would be alcohol surrounding her from all sides?

Making herself focus on something else, she absently agreed with Sasuke's plan. Dexterously, she created a genjutsu, making herself seem like a normal resident of Ame. To an outsider, they would see her hair grow longer, and lighter in colour. They would also see her eyes grow pupils, and become a dreary grey. Light freckles framed her skin as it tanned a notch. She didn't look very remarkable... and that was exactly what she needed.

Not sparing another thought towards Sasuke, she left the room, ready to embark to her mission. Hinata seamlessly blended into the crowd, her clothing being black and unnoticeable. Her first target was the town centre; that being where most people gathered for gossip and such.

Alas, the endeavour ended in failure. Throughout the whole afternoon, snooping around different conversations, Hinata managed to find out absolutely nothing. Only snatches of sentences even hinted of what they needed: 'I hope leader takes care of this', and 'Leader will destroy the rebels'. While that managed to confirm the fact there was a leader, it still helped with _nothing. _

With a heavy heart, she started to walk back towards the hotel. Somehow, she hoped that she would not have to be exposed towards the bars, at least not when on a mission. She wished that she could have found out enough information for them not to lower themselves at that level. But it was all in vain.

Glancing at her watch, she depicted it to be two minutes to six. Increasing her speed, she flew through the numerous stairs, bursting through her room just in time. Sasuke was sat on the bed, a tranquil look on his face. "Late again, Hyuuga." He forgot to mention that it was only by thirty seconds.

Choosing not to reply to the outlandish accusation, she shot him a sceptical look instead. "No, I didn't find anything. And it's time for us to prepare ourselves for the bars. Dress accordingly." It was a wonder how Sasuke always managed to read her mind.

"Your suspicions are c-confirmed. There is a leader." Sasuke nodded, showing blatant disinterest. Shrugging, she followed his advice. Going to the bathroom, she was intent on taking a shower.

The ice cold water managed to wake her up of her sombre mood. Of course, with a hotel like this, it would be devoid of hot water. Irritably, she she turned off the tap, shaking her hair of the liquid droplets. Not trusting herself not to get drunk, she dressed herself in a sleazy dress (which she brought along with her)- as par bar standards. The only thing she did was put a genjutsu over her eyes; one that she would be able to uphold, no matter how drunk she was. The duty to hide her eyes was ingrained in her system.

Exiting the bathroom, her eyes caught sight of Sasuke. He hadn't really changed himself appearance wise, which was probably a smart choice- that way, girls would swarm around him like bees to honey, and share information to his leisure. However, he had put on a short sleeved top, and casual trousers, which would blend in with the other guys. She stared, never having seen Uchiha Sasuke in casual clothing.

But then she turned away, chastising herself for staring. Sasuke, although nonchalant, was already cocky enough without her adding to his ego. It was already eight o'clock, and it was time to go. "Come, I gathered where all the bars are." Great. She could stall no longer.

Hinata only prayed to not get drunk, and focus on her mission. Still, it was easier said than done.

**Okay. I FINALLY EFFIN FINISHED CHAPTER 2. **

**Review? Please?**

**Sincerely, Aurora. **


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